1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to internal combustion engines. More particularly, the present invention relates to oil-guiding internal crankcase wall structure for an internal combustion engine, for promoting lubrication of a crankshaft support bearing via splash oil feed.
2. Description of the Background Art
A number of designs have been developed for internal combustion engines, of the type in which crankshaft support bearings are supplied with oil splashed from nearby gears. In order to properly lubricate the crankshaft support bearings, these engines must effectively collect oil splashed on an inner wall surface of the crankcase, and supply the collected oil to the bearings.
In one of the known designs of this type, an oil splash receiving means is provided above the bearings, for collecting splashed oil, and for supplying the oil to the bearings through a communication hole defined in a lower portion of the oil splash receiving means (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. Sho 58-112799, FIGS. 2 and 3).
However, the structure of the design in this reference is complicated, because the separate oil splash receiving means needs to be separately manufactured, and mounted on the crankcase wall during engine assembly.
Although the known devices have some utility for their intended purposes, a need still exists in the art a method and apparatus for effectively collecting oil splashed onto the wall surface of a crankcase, and supplying the collected oil to a bearing in an internal combustion engine of the type in which a support bearing of a crankshaft is supplied with oil splashed from nearby gears.